CALCUTTA Offspinner Harbhajan Singh grabbed India's first hat-trick in test cricket to trigger a dramatic Australian collapse on the opening day of the second test here on Sunday.

The 20-year-old removed Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne off successive balls in his 16th over as Australia crumbled from 193-1 at tea to 291-8 by stumps.

Backed by some 65,000 screaming home fans at the Eden Gardens, Harbhajan sliced through the middle-order in the post-tea session to end the day with career-best figures of five for 66, AFP reported.

Australian Captain Steve Waugh batted through the turmoil to remain unbeaten on a typically pugnacious 29 after two hours at the crease.

Australia, who elected to take first strike on a flat run-laden wicket, appeared headed for a big score when just one wicket fell in the first two sessions.

Left-handed opener Matthew Hayden made 97, sharing a first-wicket stand of 103 with Michael Slater (42) and 90 for the second with Justin Langer (58).

Hayden, who made 119 in the first test at Bombay, fell three short of his second consecutive test hundred against the Indians when he miscued Harbhajan to mid-wicket in the second over after tea.

Harbhajan, playing his 10th test, claimed Mark Waugh to a smart catch by wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia, before taking the hat-trick with the second, third and fourth balls of his 16th over.

He trapped Ponting and Adam Gilchrist leg-before with deliveries that thudded into the pads and then had Warne caught at forward-short leg by a diving Sadagopan Ramesh.

Indian umpire Shyam Bansal took the help of the third umpire to confirm that Ramesh had taken the catch cleanly, which reduced Australia to 252-7.

"I am still pinching myself to believe I have done it," an ecstatic Harbhajan said after play.

"I did not take a hat-trick even in school, so to do it in a test match is very, very special."

His Captain Sourav Ganguly, leading India for the first time in his home city, was equally delighted.

"The bowlers worked very hard in difficult conditions to help us come back," Ganguly said.

"But we have a long way to go and must remain focussed. We must dismiss Australia quickly on Monday if we are to have a chance in this match."

Harbhajan's hat-trick was the first by an Indian in tests, although Kapil Dev and Chetan Sharma achieved the feat in one-day internationals.

The Indians, thrashed in the first test by 10 wickets, finally had reason to smile after luck appeared to be favoring the Australians.

Slater had made 13 when he was caught at second slip off Ganguly, only to see umpire Bansal declare a no ball.

Hayden was also fortunate to get as far as he did, surviving two close calls.

He was on 20 when Sachin Tendulkar narrowly missed the stumps after the batsman was stranded way out of his ground.

Then on 67, Rahul Dravid floored a shoulder-high catch at first slip off Zaheer Khan.

Even langer escaped once when umpire Bansal turned down a confident appeal for a catch at the wicket off left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju.

Replays showed langer get a thin edge before the ball lodged in wicket-keeper Mongia's gloves.

Australia made one change from the side that won the first test, replacing Seamer Damien Fleming with fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz.

India recalled veterans Raju and Venkatesh Prasad to bolster the attack in the absence of the injured duo of Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath.

Both Dravid and Ramesh, who were suffering from viral fever for the last two days, were declared fit to play.